Alex Pereira admits he wasn’t hacked when he had his notorious spat with the UFC.
Earlier this yr, Pereira made headlines when he teased a attainable retirement after rumors that he is perhaps getting handed over for a light-weight heavyweight title shot in favor of Jiri Prochazka. “Poatan” rapidly retraced his feedback, claiming he was hacked, however talking with Ariel Helwani on Wednesday, Pereira admitted the reality.
“A bit of bit was miscommunication, as a result of Alex discovered via social media and stuff like that,” Pereira’s coach and translator, Plinio Cruz, mentioned, talking for Pereira. “So he was upset, that’s why he despatched the [Tweet] however he regretted it. He was incorrect as a result of he didn’t know talks that have been occurring, issues that have been occurring. So it was type of a miscommunication between camp, supervisor, and the UFC. Not the UFC’s fault.”
Pereira has been considered by many because the savior of the UFC over the previous few years. The previous middleweight and lightweight heavyweight champion fought 3 times in every of the earlier three years, and in 2024, repeatedly got here to the UFC’s rescue to headline occasions. So when rumors started swirling that mild heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev would as a substitute face Jiri Prochazka, Pereira admits he acted rashly.
“one hundred pc it was lack of communication,” Cruz mentioned, talking for Pereira. “It was somewhat bit impulsive from him. He acted somewhat early as a result of he didn’t discuss to our supervisor, or discover out from Hunter [Campbell]. He noticed the web stuff and he felt somewhat bit harm as a result of he was promised the subsequent title shot and he sees that, as a substitute of simply having a extra mutual communication between camp, Hunter, and the whole lot. So sure, one hundred pc, it’s all straight up now.”
In the end, Pereira did obtain the title shot he was promised and can run issues again towards Ankalaev at UFC 320 subsequent month. It’s a rematch of their March mild heavyweight title battle that Ankalaev edged out to say the belt. And whereas the champion has been suggesting that Pereira has ducked this rematch, Pereira clarifies that that is precisely how he needed issues to occur.
“Actually, after the battle, it was expressed to the UFC that Alex needed to heal a number of accidents, take a while,” Cruz mentioned for Pereira. “He fought back-to-back a number of instances final yr. He wanted somewhat break. It was promised for him that he can be the subsequent title challenger. The entire thing with Ankalaev saying he didn’t wish to take the battle, Alex knew that he was going to battle regardless, August or October. …
“Actually, in comparison with different individuals, he truly did the traditional factor. Some individuals take a yr, some individuals take two years. However I believe individuals acquired used to him combating so ceaselessly that it appears like a very long time. However this can be a regular span for a man this degree to be combating each few months like that. However it was superb for him to take his time and recharge.”
UFC 320 takes place on Oct. 4 at T-Cell Enviornment in Las Vegas.
